The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-05-20

usual holiday scenes, all the Executive
Departments being closed. The servants
of Uncle Sam swarmed TO Pennsylvania
avenue to see the sights.
As eleven O'Clock approached, the vari.
Gus military companies assembled around
the broad avenues of the Hotel Airing
ton.
Shortly after midday the order "March''
was given, and the gorgeously uniformed
soldiery started for the Capitol in the fol-
lowing order:
Grand Marshal and Aides.
FIRST DIVISION.
Battalion Third Artillery.
Garfield Guard of Honor.
Society of the Army of the Cumberland.
battalion of Marines. -
Detachment of Sailors from the Unite States
Steamer Galena.
SECOND DIVISION.
District Militia
Grand Army of the Republic.
Civic Societies.
The march down Pennsylvania avenue
was greatly interfered with, proper pre-
cautions for clearing the route of vehicles
not having been taken. The result OF this
neglect was that many halts had to be
made. which detracted greatly from what
would otherwise have been a very impOs-
ing procession.
Long before noon the streets leading to
the junction of First street and Mary
land avenue were packed with people. A
solid phalanx twenty deep was ranged on
the sidewalks that encircled the space,
in the center of which the vailed statue
rested on its granite base.
At twelve sharp the entrances to the
grand stand were thrown open, and the
tod m
seats. Among the first to arrive were the
sons of General Garfield, Hon. w. W.
Corcoran and Judge Hagner. Secretary
Bayard and Attorney-General Garland
were the first members of the Cabinet to
arrive. They were followed by Chief
Justice Waite and the associate justices
of the Supreme Court.
AT one o'clock the President, accom-
panied by General Sheridan, arrived.
simultaneously the van guard of the pro-
cesson appeared in quick march from
Pennsylvania avenue.
Colonel Wilson then announced that the
proceedings would be opened with prayer
by Rev. ). H. Giesy, ID. ID.
After Mr.. Gicsy had concluded his
prayer, the ''Star Spangled Banner was
very effectively rendered by the full Ma
rine Band.
AS the last note died away, at twenty
minutes past one O'Clock, the American
flag which had covered the statue was
quickly drawn away. The salute from
the south front of the Capitol was thea
fired, after which General Sheridan intro
Guced the orator of the day, Hon. j.
Warren Kisfer who proceeded to deliver
his Grafton, long and ella borate eulo
gism.
The statue unveiled to-day, the orator
declared, was not alone in honor of a cit
izen, distinguished for good qualities of
head and heart: not alone to a scholar
eminent Tor his attaiumcntS; not alone TO
a soldier renowned for bravery and Sue
cesstui high command; not alone to a
statesman and politician as wise and as
prudent as he was outspoken and bold;
not alone to the Chief Magistrate who
welded the scepter of power in the inter-
est of the citizen; but to one who combined
within himself all these various charac-
tiers and illustrated all these qualities in
single life.
This statue was mainly a tribute from
General Garfield's immediate companions
of the army of the Cumberland, prompted
by love, born of camp, bivouac and battle,
yet in larger sense it was the Nations
tribute TO the memory of a citizen, eiu-
Gator, soldier. statesman and ruler.
After brief description of the monu-
ment, General keifer sketched Garfieid's
career as scholar, teacher, soldier, states
man and President from his boyhood to
the day of his death at Elberon, and then,
in closing, said:
Ny comrades he now musters with that large.
part OF the army of the Cumberland who, hav-
ing paid the price Of devotion to the cause and
country, and fulfilled lifes earthly mission,
have passed on to join in the Grand Army of
the Republic beyond the grave We are all
soon to be there and muster again as one re-
united host. Comrades, this splendid
statue is worthy Of you who conceived
it. it is worthy OF the great sculptor who Great
ed it, and il is also worthy of him whose life
character is SO imperfectly described by me
and SO grandly symbolized by the artist. En-
during as this bronze statue may be, the ruth
less vandal or iconoclaSt may demolish il,
Time, the destroyer OF all things not fashioned
by omnipitence will crumble it to dust. What
the artist has done and what we may do or
say here to preserve and perpetuate his name
and fame may pass away and be forgotten: but
the sun OF his glory has risen. full orbed, high
IN the armament OF eternal truth and justice,
there to shine on and on through the ages.
Socrates was condemned TO drink the fatal
cup OF hemlpck, and thds give up his mortal
body, but his philosophy the poison could not
kill. 1t was immortal. So Garfield was
doomed to fall by a fatal bullet. and thus sur
render his mortal body; but his words and
deeds did not die. They belong to eternity.
They were immortal.
Our hero cared little for past example COM
pared with present duty. He believed in a
morning star of progress reigring perpetua!ly
in the ornament of our Republic to set only
when the eternal morning pales in its glories
all the lights of time; so may we. guided and
controlled by this bright star of progress. con-
tinue with the best light within us to perform
toward our fellow man and our country the full
mission OF the purest life, remembering that
New accessions teach new duties;
Time makes ancient good uncouth.
They must upward STILL and onward,
Who would keep abreast OF truth.
Ao before US CLEAN her camp-fres.
we ourselves must pilgrims be;
Launch our Mayfiower and steer boldly
Through the desperate winter sea,
Nor tempt the futures portals
Win the Past's blood-rusted key.
Inc temperIng breeze OF the morning
died completely away before the cere-
monies were well begun, and the heat be-
came intense. The distinguished crowd
that surrounded the slightly raised plat.
form used oy the speakers simply swell |
tered. Streaming faces and rapidiy mov-
ing fans were the accomplishments OF Cen
eral Keifer's address.
Mrs. Cleveland reached the grand stand |
Jus before the unvailing. Mrs Folsom.
Mrs. Lamont and Mrs. Villas Were with
her. and all suffered acutely from The
heat |
Instead OF the usual upturned sea OF |
faces, there was an upturned monotony |
OF widespread umbrellas.
At the conclusion of the Grafton Gan
eral keifer, on behalf of the monument |
committee, formally transferred the /.
statue to General Sheridan. representinp |